A Mermaid's Heart
by animiction
Summary: As a mermaid, Kagome must abide by the laws of her people. When Inuyasha, a hanyou prince who lives on land, stumbles into her life, things get complicated. Based loosely on the original version of The Little Mermaid.
1. First Sight

AN: Hi everyone! So I've decided to start on a new story. It will be **loosely **based on The Little Mermaid, the original Danish version, and not the Disney one. When I sat loosely, I mean I will write a story entirely from my mind, except for a few crucial details from the story. Hope you'll enjoy it! Feel free to leave constructive criticism, I'd love to improve.

Daybreak was one of the most stunning times of the day. A slender girl with ebony black hair leant against a rock, her cerulean eyes opened by a crack to admire the beauty of nature. Her full lips were parted as she inhaled the fresh sea breeze. As she stretched, her flat torso was revealed, as well as a long, dark green fishtail. The fishtail would have been a horrifying sight, yet the scales glittered in the shifting light, making it seem as one of the most beautiful treasures in the world.

Said girl yawned quietly, stretching her arms. She would never miss daybreak for anything, not even if it meant a few more hours of precious sleep. Treasuring every single moment was crucial in life, even though she had long accepted that her lifespan was to be three hundred years, and not the mere hundred that mortals had.

She sighed as she heard someone approaching. Being so tuned to her favourite sister Sango's heartbeat, she could detect her presence a few miles away. She smiled briefly and counted herself lucky for being a mermaid. Their senses were so much sharper than humans could ever dream of.

'Kagomeeeeee! How many times do I have to tell you? It's dangerous here, you're too near to the shore! Any mortal could just stumble across you, and you know they're actually _hunting _us now!"

Kagome sighed once more. It was ridiculous how people that inhabited land could actually want to harm them. True, King InuTaisho, the great inuyoukai of the land, was convinced that mermen meant only trouble, especially after his whole fleet of ships were destroyed by the 'filthy creatures', as he called them. But that had only happened because Kouga and his gang had been drunk to the point of no return, celebrating his victory in a fight with Hiten and Manten. They had been reckless, and now the whole mermaid population was under this silly threat.

'I know Sango, but you know I love coming up here. It's one of the best things in life. Maybe if you tried to admire daybreak for once, you'd understand.'

'You know I don't fall for that mushy crap. It'd be totally humiliating if I did.'

Kagome laughed. It was true how tough Sango liked to be, especially when Miroku, her betrothed, was around harassing her. Deep down, she registered the fact that Sango was only harsh to Miroku to cover up her feelings.

'We should go back now,' Sango said after a comfortable silence. 'Father will be angry if he finds out you've been up here again. Besides, I think he's arranged for you to marry someone.'

Kagome gasped and had a coughing fit that lasted for a while. When she recovered she screeched out 'What? What do you mean marry? Do you have any idea how old I am?'

'I heard him talking to Mother about it last night,' Sango drew circles on the water surface nervously. 'I was about to ask Mother if he knew where Ayame misplaced her pearls, when I heard Father speak up. If I remember correctly, his exact words were "Kagome is turning eighteen next month, and as she's the eldest, it's obvious that she will be taking over my throne after I'm gone. Even Sango is engaged and she's a year younger than Kagome. We must find a husband for her, for her sake.'

'And Mother agreed?' Kagome groaned in exasperation. 'I thought she said they'd allow me to actually_ fall_ for someone, and not force me to marry a brute.'

'She had no choice, Father's word is law. Even Mother can't tell him what he can or can't do when he means it.'

The Sun was blinding their eyes, but Kagome disregarded it. She was extremely annoyed, her lovely face was adorned with a scowl. Sango took a peek at her, waiting for her to explode.

Finally, Kagome relaxed, her posture no longer tensed and furious. When she spoke up, her voice contained a hint of reproach. 'Sango, why don't you go back first? It's getting late, and you need to practice. If you see Father or Mother, tell them you can't find me. I need some time to reflect on my own, please.'

Sango nodded. After gently embracing her dear sister, she swam away, leaving Kagome perching on the rock alone once more.

Kagome tried to think of any man that she'd actually feel happy to marry. There was Hojo, but he was boring. He was the epitome of perfection, and accomplished all his tasks so…so _perfectly_. Kagome was somewhat his opposite. She loved pulling small pranks and enjoying herself at the disco at two in the morning. Sure, she was a princess among her people, but that didn't mean that she couldn't have a life.

Shrugging off the picture of marrying Hojo, the next suitor that popped up in her mind was Kouga. Every time they met, he assured her of how he was not indifferent to her. Sometimes, he even went as far as to suggest that he'd like to take her out to watching plays and throwing pebbles with her. To Kagome, Kouga was an admirable choice. He was the son of a loyal and respectable lord in her Father's court, and her Father would definitely be pleased if she chose to marry Kouga. Somehow, she didn't feel that spark of true love she knew she was supposed to. Once in a while, when Sango was feeling bubbly and carefree, perhaps after downing a couple of shots, she'd make a speech that lasted at least a quarter of an hour that made Kagome a teeny bit jealous. The way Sango described her all-consuming love for Miroku was so true and beautiful, there was no way any sensible female could not be envious.

Apart from Kouga, there was definitely Naraku. Just thinking of his name made Kagome shudder, even though her entire body was bathed in the warm morning Sun. The man was so creepy. He gave her chills just by looking at her, his disgusting eyes filled with evil and lust. She couldn't imagine herself being married to such a filthy man. She would definitely die first before he invaded her personal space.

A rustling sound from a bush not ten feet away caused Kagome to jump in surprise. Quickly, she hid herself completely behind the rock she was holding onto. At first, not a single soul appeared but a few more seconds brought a young man straight into Kagome's view.

That he was the most gorgeous man Kagome had ever laid eyes on was an understatement. His shimmering silver locks stirred jealousy in her, and she gasped in surprise as she noticed two adorable dog ears on the top of his head. She had a sudden ache to pounce on him just to rub those appendices. Her eyes trailed onto his perfect face. His golden eyes rendered him strikingly handsome, along with a chiselled nose and sensual lips. His strong jaw heightened his aristocratic features, and Kagome couldn't help but wonder who this stunning man was.

Her answer was solved when a stumbling frog youkai came after the breathtaking man.

'Jaken, how many times do I have to remind you to stop tailing me around like some freaky animal? I'm an inuyoukai, for God's sake! I. Can. Take. Care. Of. Myself.'

'Lord Inuyasha, forgive me, but it was on your Father's strict orders that I came to ensure your safety. He has also informed me to remind you how some ridiculous peasants are still prejudiced against hanyous.'

'Keh,' Inuyasha scoffed. 'As if _you_ could protect me. I can take you down in ten seconds flat. Can't I at least have some privacy? Is that unheard of, or are you just so stupid that thought can process through that tiny brain of yours?'

Jaken, on his part, looked completely furious. Inuyasha failed to notice the murderous look that flashed through, but simply sat down on the seaside, his back to his servant.

'Jaken, you are dismissed.'

There was a haughty finality in his tone. Jaken huffed and left, but not without pounding a fist onto Inuyasha's head. Inuyasha winced and rubbed the spot where Jaken had hit, but did not complain.

Kagome watched with increasing interest as the scene unfolded before her eyes. She had heard about King Inutaisho's two sons, Prince Sesshoumaru and Prince Inuyasha, but she had never imagined ever seeing either one of them.

Just by watching Inuyasha from a distance, her heart sped up. His handsome, noble features had an enormous effect on her. For the first time in her life, she felt something. A spark. Attraction. The need to go nearer.

She stayed, perched on the rock, for a few hours just to admire the young man before her eyes. She wanted to make her presence known, to get to know him, to do something. She brushed that thought away and laughed at her own silliness. After all, this was the son of the man who wanted to hunt down her kind to extinction. Inuyasha might kill her on the spot when he caught sight of her.

Finally, just as the Sun was scorching on her pale back from the centre of the sky, Inuyasha stood up in one fluent motion. He took a deep breath once more, enjoying the comforting scent of the sea. Then he was gone.


	2. Against My Will

A/N: Thank you for the lovely reviews! This is my first official fanfiction, and I'm quite motivated to keep going.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters.

To my lovely reviewers:  
**wolfprincess16**: Thankyou! I'll keep updating, that's for sure, and I'll keep "that" in mind when I update in the future.

**The Queen of Fire**: I'm still toying with a few ideas in my mind, I hope this story will get on great.

**scene-kagome**: Yep, I'll definitely continue. I love the idea with kagome as a mermaid too!

…And on with the story!

* * *

"Open ye mouth wider and sing with ye heart," a plump mermaid whose soft white hair was pulled up in a tight bun said.

"I'm trying, Kaede-sama," Kagome sighed.

"I something troubling ye, my child?"

"Just the changing tides is all, Kaede-sama."

Kaede peered at the young maiden, who was currently fiddling with the ends of her silky tresses, with a worried look. Kagome had always been a cheerful, happy-go-lucky type of girl. Her voice was the most beautiful sound ever heard in the history of the sea. It sounded like a nightingale's sweet song, a sound that had captured the hearts of all the merpeople. Many of their kind from who lived far away had come to visit them just for a chance to hear the transcendent princess perform.

"Keep in mind that ye'll need to perform soon. Try the last song again."

Kagome shut her mind from the troubling thoughts that had decided to stay permanently within her. After the white-haired boy had disappeared from view, she returned to her Father's palace and prepared for her daily singing lessons with Kaede. Of course, she had been at least half an hour late, and even if she was the princess and was higher ranked than Kaede, it didn't mean that Kaede would tolerate tardiness.

Kagome sang the required verse again. This time, she thought of happy thoughts only – when she and Sango would string pearls together, when she would play ball games with Ayame, when her Mother praised her for doing well in her lessons. Her melodious voice flowed through the ocean currents as the black-haired princess sang her heart out. She successfully blocked out any dark thoughts that threatened to fill her mind completely.

When she had finished, Kaede nodded in approval. "Tha's the spirit, child. Very well, the lesson's ended."

Kagome smiled and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Kaede-sama." With that, she left the small cave where her lessons took place, and swam off to look for Sango.

As usual, Kagome would visit the fighting grounds whenever she wanted to meet with Sango. Her beloved sister was an accomplished fighter in their kingdom. There were not many female warriors, so Sango had gained admiration and respect throughout the seas. Ayame, on the other hand, preferred swimming. Her speed was astonishing, and the only mermaid who was said to be faster than her was their Father, when he had been young and active of course.

As Kagome reached the fighting ring, she noticed Sango in an intense battle with Kouga. Kagome took a seat in the spectator's stand, which was empty save for Sango and Kouga's coach and a couple of Kouga's friends. As she approached the boys, they waved to their princess and invited her to sit with them.

"How's the fight going on?" Kagome asked Ginta.

"I think Sango's gonna win this time. She seems particularly strong after Miroku came down just now."

Kagome chuckled. It was so typical of Miroku to do something to set Sango off the first thing in the morning. "What did he do to her this time?"

Ginta let a smile play on his lips. "He was actually standing there, at the far end, and he raised his hands and started to holler like a madman. He pledged his undying love for Sango, and how she is the only woman who ever touched his heart. I swear Sango was enjoying it. He was in the middle of his speech before she cam back to her senses and punched him."

"Ouch," Kagome winced. A single punch from Sango could take weeks for anyone to recover.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure Sango didn't put much force behind that punch."

A sudden yelp from the fighting ring brought their attention back to the pair who was still in the middle of a furious fight. Kouga had successfully tackled his opponent down to the ground, while Sango was trying to flip Kouga over. Just as Kouga was sure that he had won, since he had pinned Sango down for ten seconds, the tables turned. Sango had managed to kick Kouga's tail up. In that moment of surprise, Kouga's guard was down and Sango took this chance to aim a hard punch to his stomach. The blow caused him to fall face down onto the ground, and it was Sango who had Kouga at her mercy now. Kouga struggled to break free, but Sango's blow had rendered him weak and he was now no match for a fierce Sango. As soon as the ten seconds were up, their coach approached them and announced Sango as the winner of the day.

Both Kagome and Kouga's friends cheered anyway. They were all on excellent terms, and didn't mind who won. When Sango stood up and smiled brilliantly, she spotted Kagome in the crowd and waved enthusiastically. Kagome waved back and sped forward to give her sister a warm embrace.

"Nice job Sango! I knew you had it in you!" Kagome laughed.

Sango was still panting heavily, but returned Kagome's hug warmly. "I haven't beaten Kouga in three days now. He gets stronger and stronger as the days pass by."

After the coach left, Kouga's gang went to Kouga to pat on his back, saying that it would be quite impossible to beat a furious Sango. Kouga agreed wholeheartedly. His ego was a bit bruised but he had long accepted the fact that Sango was one hell of a fighter.

"Kagome," Kouga greeted as he approached her.

Kagome gulped and exchanged knowing looks with Sango. Kagome had always been a bit uncomfortable with Kouga's advances. He was straightforward and to the point, with no hesitations or doubt. Kagome wanted to avoid this meeting with him, especially since Sango's news about how she would have to marry someone soon crept to her mind again.

"Would you like to have lunch with me now? It's past noon, I guess, and I was thinking that maybe you'd like to grab a bite with me?"

Kagome blushed and wished that Sango would say something. If she refused Kouga for no big reason, he would pester her until she had to give in. But for now, Kouga was still waiting patiently for an answer with a confident smile on his face. He was charming, but he lacked something that the white-haired prince possessed. Kagome took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Kouga, but Sango and I have to see His Majesty. We promised to meet him once our lessons were over."

Sango nodded in approval and added, "We received strict orders, and I think we're already a bit late. We really need to go now."

Kouga sighed. "Very well, maybe we can meet up tonight, Kagome?"

"Um…" was all Kagome managed to sputter out before Sango, as if on cue, dragged her out of her admirer's sight.

"Thanks Sango, what would I ever do without you," Kagome grinned at her dear sister.

Sango scoffed. "Of course you won't be able to survive without me. Remember all those times I had to cover up for you when you passed curfew, or when some drunken bastard thought you were some cheap lay, and I had to punch his eyeballs out before he registered that you're the princess?"

Kagome laughed. "Indeed, thank you. Where are we going anyway?"

Sango pretended to look shocked for a while. "I thought it'd be quite obvious? We're seeing Father. He's going to break the news to you soon, and I thought it's be best if you actually suggested someone who you'd like to marry before he decided on it. I don't want to see you engaged to Naraku, that's for sure."

"That's true," Kagome nodded in approval. "I hope everything turns out well."

* * *

"WHAT?" a certain golden-eyed hanyou sputtered out, choking on his cream soup in the process. It was his favourite soup, made by a professional French chef that worked in the royal kitchens, but Inuyasha could hardly enjoy its delicious taste now.

"You are not to speak out so rudely to the King your Father," his mother, Izayoi, scolded him.

"Keh," Inuyasha let out. He slumped back down into his seat and folded his arms across his chest. What started out as a peaceful family dinner with his parents and his half-brother, Sesshoumaru, turned out into a nightmare. "How else would you expect me to react to such news? Could you at least think about how I would feel? Telling me that I will get married in a fortnight to some random princess. What if she turns out to be a stuck-up bitch? Get Sesshy to marry first, he's older!"

Everything turned into utter chaos after Inuyasha's outburst.

"You will not talk about Princess Kikyou in that manner!" Inutaisho ordered.

"Language, my son! Language! And how many times do I need to tell you to speak respectfully to your father?" Izayoi yelled, her voice overlapping her husband's.

"And my name is not 'Sesshy'," Sesshoumaru quipped quietly from his end.

Inuyasha was fuming. Apparently, some 'Princess Kikyou' had to pop out of nowhere and had the nerve to announce that she was now of age and needed to find a suitable husband.

"Let me explain first," Inutaisho stated calmly. "It would be beneficial to both our kingdom and Princess Kikyou's. There is nothing to lose but everything to gain. Besides, it is the Princess's own wish that her husband is not a youkai. She states that she is a delicate young lady, and would prefer humans or even hanyous."

Inuyasha snorted. "Who would prefer hanyous? I don't get it. Dress Sesshy up as a human and get him to marry this 'delicate young lady'. I don't care."

Inutaisho sighed. "It turns out that Princess Kikyou does not hold such prejudice against hanyous. She herself is a renowned miko who promotes peace among all species. Besides, I have already written her a letter to say that you would be interested in taking her as your wife."

That did it. Inuyasha exploded – literally. "DID I EVER EXPRESS ANY INTEREST WHATSOEVER TO GET MARRIED? I'M BARELY AN ADULT IN HUMAN YEARS!"

"I understand, but maybe you might find Princess Kikyou to your liking. She is also known to be kind and sincere. I'll let you think it over before you have another outburst. The Princess has already replied to my letter, and she will be arriving in exactly a fortnight. Before then, think about the duty and honour you hold for your kindom."

Inuyasha knew it would be futile to argue anymore with his father, especially when that reserved tone was used. He frowned but did not dare to raise his voice against his father again. The four of them continued to eat their dinner without another word.

* * *

Kagome had reached the grounds near her father's throne, with Sango and Ayame at her side, in a little less than a quarter of an hour. The trio was discussing heatedly different lords Kagome could choose from to wed.

"How about Hakkaku? Or Ginta? They seem quite nice, and they're from respectable families," Ayame quipped.

"Definitely not. We're great friends, and nothing more. Besides, if I married one of them, Kouga would storm in during the wedding and stop us from getting married," Kagome commented.

"True," Sango said. "Then how about Bankotsu?"

Kagome shook her head. "He seems respectable, but the rumours I hear from Eri are enough to scare me off."

"We've gone through practically all the men you could possibly marry. Kagome, are you in love with someone that is a commoner, or just someone you can't marry?" Ayame suggested.

With that, Kagome blushed, causing her sisters to gasp. "So it's true! Your heart is set on a man already, so you won't be able to choose anyone but him. So tell us, who is this lucky man?" Ayame asked.

"It's difficult to explain. He's not a mermaid, actually…"

The sisters exchanged a glance. After a minute, Sango said, "You know we can't associate with mankind, or any of the people on land. It's impossible for you to be with the man you want if he does not belong to the sea."

"I know I know," Kagome sighed. "We haven't met, really. He doesn't know of my existence, and I only caught sight of him this morning after you left, Sango."

"I suggest that you don't go up to the surface that often from now onwards. What you feel for him is merely a crush, but it can develop into something much worse. That will spell disaster for the both of you, if you know what I mean," Sango warned.

"I understand," Kagome replied. She appreciated how her sisters were worried about her, but it was something that she simply couldn't explain clearly to them at the present moment. The prince she had seen seemed to be the one for her. Of that, she was quite certain for some reason. She wished with all her heart that everything would turn out right, as the three of them continued their journey to meet their father.


	3. Fate

**Author's Note:** Thank you for the reviews! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter!  
**  
Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

* * *

"Kagome I – "

"Save it, Sango! I don't want to talk about it!" Kagome snapped at her favourite sister.

The two sisters had entered the haven of their room, or rather, a secluded cave in their father's palace. Decorated with alluring jewels that shimmered in the dim light, and with three enormous beds for the three sisters to enjoy their beauty sleep, the room would have answered any girl's wishes. However, Kagome was far from feeling thankful that she had everything she could ask for today.

_Flashback_

"I know you've planned an arranged marriage for me."

A surprised look flashed across her father's face before he composed it almost too well. "That's true."

A pregnant pause filled the room.

"Can I be allowed to choose my own groom?"

"I'm afraid that's not possible, unless the one you wan to marry is on my list of eligible bachelors for you, my dear. Tell me then, who do you wish to marry?"

"No one at the moment. Can I at least have more time to think it through?"

But before Kagome could finish, her father was already shaking his head slightly. It seemed like an involuntary movement but she knew her father didn't want to embarrass himself at court.

"Dearest daughter, you must understand that you have to be married before you grow any older. I could give you a week at most, but that would be all. Besides, I have heard rumours about Kouga and you. From reliable sources, of course."

Kagome frowned. "Anything you've heard about him and me being together is false."

Her father waved his hand as if to brush aside that thought. "See me in a week. By then, if you haven't thought up of a suitable young man, I will personally allow you to choose from my list."

"Care to tell me who made it to that oh-so-honourable list?" Kagome's voice was laced with sarcasm.

He pretended not to notice. "Naraku, Bankotsu, Hojo and Kouga, naturally."

"It's surprising how you've never heard any rumours about Naraku and Bankotsu, and their bad reputation, and yet you let trivial things like Kouga being in a relationship with me interest you."

The King raised an eyebrow at her angry voice and simply said, "You are dismissed."

Kagome huffed. "Hey I wasn't finished yet! Why do I have to be married at such a young age? From what I've heard, you and mother were married when she was five years older than I am now!"

"Times have changed. Now if you please, I wish to talk to Ayame alone about an important affair. You will excuse us."

"But Father – "

"You will obey my wishes! I am the King and you will do as you are told! Return to your room before I decide that you should be married by tomorrow!"

Kagome swam off to her own chambers with Sango close behind her.

_End Flashback_

A few hours later, a servant entered their room to announce that dinner was served. Sango patted Kagome's back as she left, while Ayame gave her a warm hug. The sisters left Kagome alone. Even their father didn't insist on Kagome's presence at dinner that night.

It was past midnight before Kagome felt better. Her eyes had run out of tears, and Sango and Ayame were sleeping soundly in their beds. She mentally hit herself on the head as she thought about her favourite spot above the seas. Kagome scrambled up and stretched. She stifled a huge yawn as she approached Sango and poked on her shoulder to wake her up.

"What? What happened? Who's died?" were the intelligent remarks that Sango spluttered out at once.

Kagome couldn't help but giggle at her sister's reaction. "Everything's okay, Sango. Could you cover up for me? I feel like going up."

Sango's dazed expression was soon replaced with a soft look. "Sure Kags, I'll cover up for you. But be careful, it's so late already."

"No problem, and thanks."

With that, she scrambled off to clear her head of all the disturbing thoughts. In a few minutes, she had arrived at her favourite place. The dark oceans were intimidating, but she knew that she was safe from harm, especially with her weapon, a jeweled dagger, at her hip. She gazed silently at the bright moon and thought about how horrible her life was. Her delicate white arms were folded on the rock, her flawless face showed that she was deep in thought.

Would marrying Kouga be such a disgusting thing? The man was gentle with her, and he was very handsome. She should stop living in a world of ideals and start accepting the fact that she would never meet the one man she wanted. It was impossible that such a man existed, anyway. And who was she to say no to her father? Her duties as a princess were heavy, and she would have to face them all when the time came. Besides, if she chose to marry Kouga herself, then she could eliminate any possibility of spending the rest of her life with evil suitors like Naraku or Bankotsu.

The more she thought about Kouga and his perfections, the more she accepted him. She recalled how he was very polite and perfectly gentlemanlike. He would never inflict harm on her, and to add on, he had a great sense of humour! He could charm his way to her heart if she just let it go and allowed was also much smarter than Hojo, who only knew how to smile and act dumb. Kouga's family was very rich, and Kagome could rest assured that she could get anything that she wanted.

"That's it, good girl," Kagome smiled in spite of herself. She decided to sing to soothe her nerves. After that song, she decided that she would let her heart go, free it from the restraints of her mind and learn to love Kouga.

"Let the heart go strong and free

Free to love with no restraint,

Learn the lessons of the sea,

Let the pictures form and paint

True love that will never be denied.

Be true, be brave, be everything I am

Fight the evil that awaits

He who made the lion and lamb

Will surely guide those who wait,

I will obey with all my heart.

Look at the future with hopeful dreams

Pursue those dreams and smile and laugh

Laugh, and - "

A sudden rustling from the bushes behind her caused her heart to stop with fear. She hid herself behind the rock and scanned across the land for any signs of danger. Damn! She should have listened to Sango and be more careful! If any of the King's men caught her in those nets of theirs, if, if…

Kagome fought down her fears. She could always escape to the sea, and swim away faster than any mortal could ever wish to swim.

"Who's there? Show yourself!"

* * *

Inuyasha was sulking in his room. How he couldn't wait for that Princess Kikyou to come over, and he wished that she would make a fool of herself in front of everyone, especially his mother. Then he could be exempted from marrying her. He was simply too young to get married yet, and he was sure that he would never learn how to love.

"Feh," he scoffed. "Love is for fools who have nothing better to do!"

He cursed and sent a vase flying across the room, which gave a satisfying smash. The servants knew better than to interfere, although he was certain more than a few had heard his tantrums. He hadn't bother to conceal his anger as he stomped around in his room.

A knock from the door caused a warning growl to slip from his lips. The door opened to reveal Sesshoumaru, sporting a frown.

"Stop this nonsense, it is giving me a migraine."

"As if I care."

"You're like a stupid child, a runt who lets his anger get the better of him."

"This is ridiculous. If I am so beneath you, why bother lecturing me? Get out from my room before this place reeks of your stench permanently!"

Sesshoumaru had had enough. He crossed the room swiftly and pinned Inuyasha on the wall, his nails dangerously close piercing Inuyasha's neck. "You will not talk to me like that, hanyou. I have tried to treat you better under father's orders, but you are really stepping across the line now!"

"Mind your own business" Inuyasha barely managed to growl out as he gasped for air.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he increased the strength of his grip on Inuyasha's throat. "You are testing my patience. I do not wish to kill you tonight."

With that, he swept out of the room without another word.

"Arrogant bastard." Inuyasha muttered, checking his throat for any visible injuries.

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had never gotten along well, mostly due to the fact that Inuyasha was a disgusting hanyou whose mother had replaced Sesshoumaru's. Sesshoumaru had long forgiven Inutaisho and Izayoi, and he understood how Izayoi was his father's true mate. Izayoi was in many ways like a real mother to him. She cared for him when he was sick, and he confided in her whenever Inuyasha frustrated him. Inuyasha was a different matter. He was so stubborn and simply refused to get along with Sesshoumaru, especially at first. However, Inuyashasoon learned that Sesshoumaru wasn't half bad. Their fights lessened but that didn't mean that they had to like each other.

Inuyasha slammed his door shut and lay down on his bed. He sighed, frustrated and angry. Why did it have to be him? What did he ever do to deserve all this?

'But you did do lots of things to deserve such a life,' a voice in his mind snickered.

'Shut up' he sent back with a growl.

Another hour passed but Inuyasha's frustration did not disappear. He sincerely wished Kikyou an unfortunate death before they could meet. Then it hit him. He could always escape the royal grounds now, for the sheer fun of pissing his father off. He hated following trivial things like 'curfew' or whatever they called it. He was a prince and had all the right to wander off wherever he wanted to at any time. Moreover, it wasn't like anything could harm him. He was a strong fighter. And he knew it.

In a fluid leap, his feet touched the ground with a soft _thud_. He had easily jumped from his window, which was nearly five stories high. Now that seemed more like it. He smirked and flew past the dark forests, ignoring the calls of various night creatures along his way. He had no idea where he wanted to go, but who cares?

Another mile, and he reached the beach where he had spent half his day. A soft beautiful voice singing caught his attention. He hid behind a tree and peered out to see who the possible owner of such a mesmerizing voice was. His vision was graced with a beauty. He inhaled sharply as he saw the young girl's onyx tresses, and he had a sudden urge to cup her delicate heart-shaped face. Her blue eyes, rendered quite a deep blue by the night were framed with dark lashes. Her full lips caught his attention. They were cherry red and reflected the moon's light perfectly. From where he stood, he could just see a hint of her bare arms that looked so slender. She was simply a beauty, and he knew he would have to thank the gods for allowing such a perfect creature to be present for him to admire. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on, that was certain.

He concentrated on her velvety voice, which gave him a sense of inner peace. The lyrics of her song pierced his heart. He understood her perfectly, and he felt his heart reach out to comfort her. He yearned to do something to help her, to let her know that there was someone who felt the same as she did. As Inuyasha sat down to listen to her song, his leg brushed against a nearby bush that rustled in the night. He froze, and hoped that the girl had not heard. He chanted to himself that no mortal could have ever caught that slight sound. Her song stopped suddenly as the girl whipped around and shouted "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Inuyasha held his breath. Should he reveal himself to the beautiful girl? His heart pounded loudly at the mere thought of talking to her, brushing her hair back from her face, letting his fingers trail her delicate features, drinking in the sight of her mesmerizing eyes from a much closer distance…

'Stop!' he ordered himself. He thought everything over for a few seconds before he mustered his courage stepped out to reveal himself to the young woman, who had now hid behind a rock. After all, she did not seem as a possible threat to him. He frowned, wishing to see her perfect face once more. He waited, barely daring to breathe as she slowly inched from behind the rock to take a better look at him. His eyes widened as he saw, again, how truly beautiful she was.

Adrenaline rush was something Kagome usually liked. Her life lacked the excitement that would make her happy. However, this was one of the rare occasions that she was truly scared. For a moment, no sound came from the land, causing her to become even more tensed. Finally, a young man stepped out from the shadows to reveal his presence to her.

A shocked gasp came from her throat. It was him. Him. The man who had haunted her thoughts ever since she caught sight of him not too long ago. She drank in the sight of him in the moonlight. If it was possible, he seemed even more striking in the dark, his amber eyes glowing softly. He was sporting a frown, which made Kagome think how cute it was. His doggy ears were twitching from side to side, which seemed like an involuntary movement. Kagome had to restrain herself from giggling now. The action seemed so innocent and childlike. Although, from his stature and looks, this man could barely be described as a child.

Slowly, she revealed herself to him. She was careful to keep her tail beneath the dark waters in case Inuyasha was a mermaid hunter. Both were silent for a long moment, each drinking in the sight of the other. Their hearts were pounding loudly in unison, creating a beautiful rhythm. Finally, Inuyasha decided to break the silence as his curiosity overcame everything.

"Who are you and whatcha doing here?"

Inuyasha mentally slapped himself. How could he let his nervousness get the better of him and speak to her so harshly?

Kagome's eyes widened. What was she supposed to say to such a godlike man?

Inuyasha tried his best to give a comforting smile. "It's okay, don't be afraid. Do you know who I am?"

Kagome hesitated for a moment before she shook her head. It was better for him to introduce himself rather than deducing that it was really Prince Inuyasha in front of her.

"I'm Prince Inuyasha, and my father is King Inutaisho," he said after a while. "Can you tell me who you are now?"

Kagome took a deep breath and replied shakily, "K-Kagome, Your Highness."

Even her name was beyond beautiful. "Kagome" he repeated, allowing the sound to roll on his tongue. Her voice was so melodious, even when she wasn't singing. It was magical.

"Kagome, please cut the "your highness" crap. I've had enough of that for a lifetime. Where are you from?"

Her heart stopped. She couldn't possibly let him know that she was a mermaid. And yet, he would find out sooner or later, what was the point of hiding the truth from him? But what if he hated mermaids? Hated them to the point of being able to kill them brutally? She had just met him, and she wanted to know him better.

"I come from the East," she replied. After all, that was kind of true. Her father was the King of the Eastern Seas.

Inuyasha nodded. "What is a young girl like you doing at such an hour? Don't you know it's dangerous to be here after dark?"

"I know," Kagome replied. "But I feel depressed. Please don't tell me to go away."

"I won't, but tell me, why are you so unhappy? I heard you sing just now - "

He stopped as her eyes widened and she gasped. Kagome was told how a mermaid's song could entrap the hearts of men. Of course, she wanted this perfect man to love her, but how could he love her truly if it was simply based on her song? But then again, it may be just a myth.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I didn't mean for anyone to hear it, and if you don't feel well after hearing me sing, please run away."

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. "How would your song harm me? It was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, and I'd be glad if you could sing it again."

Kagome blushed and shook her head. "You don't understand, it's not…proper."

Inuyasha sighed. How he longed to listen to her charming voice again. "Can I know why you're here in the middle of the night?"

"My parents have decided that an arranged marriage would suit me, but I don't want to get married yet."

A shocked look flickered across his face briefly. "Surprisingly, I'm in the same situation as you are."

"Oh," was her intelligent reply.

"Hey, how about you come over here so we can just talk?" his eyes pleaded her. He felt a sudden desperation to never let her escape from him now that he knew of her existence. She was transcendent, and he'd be a fool to let her go just like that.

"I- I-I don't know," she murmured uncertainly. She wanted to approach him, but not if that meant revealing her identity to him.

"You're gonna get cold anyway in that water, so just come over here before you get sick or something. I order you to come here as your Prince."

Kagome sighed. "All right, I'll come nearer but please let me stay in the water."

"Fine."

Kagome inched forward until the shallow waters just covered her tail.

"So what's up?"

"My father told me I have to get married, which is so unfair. Just because I'm the eldest daughter, and because I'm not in love with any of the mer – any of the men around my erm, neighbourhood." She paused for a while, cursing silently at how easily she had slipped. "How about you?"

"Ever heard of a Princess Kikyou?"

"Never."

"Well, she's some kinda wench who decides for herself that she wants to get married. My father decided it was a great match so he's arranged everything already."

Kagome murmured her sympathies. They were both silent for a while before Inuyasha spoke up, "Sing for me, Kagome. You have the best voice I've ever heard. Why have I never heard of you? Your voice must be so famous all around."

"I uh, never sing much around other people," she lied.

"All the better," his mouth twitched, causing Kagome's heart to stop briefly at the sight of his sexy smirk. "Sing for me?"

"I really don't think - "

A warm hand enveloped hers. He had leapt over to her side and was now squatting in the waters next to her. His breathtaking face was a few inches away from hers as he held her small hand in both of his. "Please, Kagome. It makes me feel at peace."

Kagome quickly distanced herself, fearing that he might catch sight of her tail that was barely visible from above the water. Her heart thundered in her chest from the feel of his warm hands. She quickly ripped her hand out of his and said, "I'll sing, but please don't come near me."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed a bit before he nodded. "Okay, but please sing for me?"

She tore her eyes away from his, knowing that she would never be able to sing with his mesmerizing eyes on hers. She closed her eyes and sang out her soul, filling her song with all the strong emotions she harboured. As she sang, she felt his stare on her, burning holes on her back. From the sound of her thundering heart to the faint blush on her cheeks, she knew that she was falling for this man. Inuyasha was so kind, so gentle, he couldn't possibly be prejudiced against her kind? He was everything she could ever wish for. Strikingly handsome and charming. His manners seemed a bit rough at the edges, but that didn't mar how pure and good he was deep inside.

As her voice filled the night, Inuyasha laid down on the beach, letting her voice guide him. His eyes drooped and he was fighting off sleep now. After all, he had a rough day, but everything was perfect now. Kagome was so beautiful, so utterly beautiful his soul reached for her. His last thought was how he would much rather marry Kagome instead of Princess Kikyou, before sleep overtook him, and he knew no more.


	4. Acceptance

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha.

* * *

He couldn't believe it. The number of 'please's that he had let slip was outrageous. He had sounded like an absolute fool, and in front of a very pretty girl nonetheless. This was totally and utterly unacceptable.

The white-haired hanyou cursed again as he felt his feet touch the cool marble floor of his room. His parents must have noticed his absence because his whole room was now in complete order. He hated it so much when the maids would rummage through his personal belongings inside his room. Was it too much to ask for some privacy in his own room?

"Inuyasha, I know you've arrived home," his father's voice sounded from outside the door.

Inuyasha sighed as he went towards the door and opened it to let his father in. These were the times when Inutaisho would frown and tell his son to become a man, not a whiny child who threw tantrums to get what he wanted. Most of the other times, Inuyasha would've told his father that he wanted to be left alone, and would make a huge fuss out of it. However, after spending the night listening to an enchanting voice sing for him, he felt…at peace. There was a certain serenity that he couldn't quite place a finger on, and he simply wanted to hear his father out.

"Come in father."

Inutaisho took a seat on the foot of the bed, while Inuyasha stood in front of him, ready to receive a scolding.

His father spoke up first. "Don't look so worried, I haven't come to yell at you. Let me apologize first. I know it was wrong of me to take such an important decision as deciding for you who should your future wife be. That was unacceptable on my part, and it was reasonable that you didn't take it well."

Inuyasha's eyes lightened as he heard this. "So does that mean that the marriage has been called off?"

Inutaisho shook his head sadly. "No, I'm sorry but it's too late to do that now. Princess Kikyou will be arriving tomorrow, or this evening at the earliest. You should try to see if she is a decent girl, and from what I've heard, she certainly is. However, if after a few weeks, and you still think that she's unsuitable for you, then I would call off the marriage personally."

"Thank you father," Inuyasha smiled. He could imagine how he'd try to make this Princess Kikyou publicly humiliate herself. Then he would be free to see that girl. Kagome, by the seaside again.

"Hang on a minute," Inutaisho raised a finger to stop his son's thoughts, as if he knew what evil things Inuyasha was planning for Princess Kikyou. "This doesn't mean that you don't have to try to like Princess Kikyou. If I see that you are trying to make her dislike you on purpose, I would arrange for the marriage as soon as possible. Do you understand?"

Inuyasha pretended to scowl, but he turned back to his father and looked straight into his eyes. "Yes father. I will try to get to know Princess Kikyou." The name already tasted…distasteful on his tongue. "But promise me that if I really don't like her, don't force me to marry her."

Inutaisho smiled at his son. "Then we have a deal."

* * *

Ruby red lips shone in the darkness of a cool room. The owner of said lips continued to paint her lips with a shell-shaped rouge with her finger. Her beauty was extraordinary, yet she felt that to please every man on her path, she would have to attempt to beautify herself to the most of her abilities. A few moments passed as the elegant woman finished painting her lips. As soon as she stood up, a knock sounded from her door.

"You may enter," she said simply.

A white-haired woman who looked like she was just in her thirties slipped into the room.

"Kikyou dear, why didn't you light a candle?"

The beautiful girl stood up to greet her mother. "It was unnecessary. I could see perfectly in the dark. Besides, the Sun's rays can slip through the window."

Tsubaki eyed the few slits on the wall, which was the so-called 'window'.

"That's fine dear. Just remember that in front of Inuyasha, at least, you have to act like any other girl."

Kikyou smiled. "Don't worry, he would fall over his feet coming up to greet me. We'll have Inutaisho's kingdom in our hands in no time."

Tsubaki nodded as she took in Kikyou's attire. "You have chosen your dress well. I'm sure the poor boy would become a stuttering fool at the sight of you."

Another laugh slipped from Kikyou's lips.

"I've heard that the hanyou doesn't desire girls the way all men do. But I have full confidence in you, daughter," Tsubaki added as she reached out her hand to stroke her beloved daughter's face. "Your beauty surpasses that of any woman on Earth, I'm sure. It will be an easy job for us."

There was a pause as Kikyou admired herself in front of the full-length mirror on her wall.

"When will we set off for their castle?"

"As soon as your preparations for seeing Inuyasha are ready. Your maids have already packed everything you need for your journey, as well as what I will need. We plan to stay under Inutaisho's roof for a month at least, so we should set off early." Tsubaki paused to drink in how her daughter's curves were accentuated by the dress Kikyou had chosen. "We wouldn't want to disappoint dearest Inuyasha by being late, won't we?"

A dark smile crept onto Kikyou's features. "Of course not. And the things I have planned for him…I can't wait to see him."

* * *

After Inutaisho left his youngest son's room, Inuyasha attended his daily lessons, including seven languages, history, literature, and science. The afternoons were spent hunting in the forest, and he was pleased to see that his hunting skills had improved far beyond Sesshoumaru's, who was too absorbed with sword fighting and thought little of simple hunting. Inuyasha treasured his own sword, the Tetsusaiga, more than anything else in the world – maybe except his stock of ramen stashed in the deepest corner of his closet, that is.

When the night fell once again, Princess Kikyou had yet to arrive, causing Inuyasha to sigh with relief. He seriously didn't look forward to meeting her. It was a burden to him, and he could predict how the whole court would have their eyes set on their developing relationship. Gossiping maids would scurry around, which would certainly annoy the hell out of him. And if Kikyou turned out to be as bitchy as she sounded, Inuyasha's life would become so_ perfect_.

When the crescent moon had taken a prominent position in the centre of the starry sky, Inuyasha leapt off the ledge of his bedroom window once again. He had yearned to see Kagome again, to hear her sing for him and most importantly, he wanted to know exactly who she was. From her manners, Inuyasha could easily tell that she was no commoner. The way she held herself, and her perfect posture showed that she had to be the daughter of someone important, and if her father was important enough, he could have a chance to marry her. Of course, providing that she hadn't been faking it, being so nice and sympathetic, the night before.

As soon as Inuyasha reached the darkness of the forest, he broke into a run. As a half-demon, his speed rendered him practically invisible to the naked eye of mere humans who may be wandering in the wild late at night. When he reached the beach, he eagerly looked up, almost as if expecting to see _her_ again.

There was nobody there.

Inuyasha's smile faded, but he blamed himself for hoping as well. They hadn't made any prior engagements to meet each other again, as he had fallen asleep before he could talk much. What a stupid fool he was sometimes. Inuyasha sighed as he settled down by the beach. As a hanyou, he could easily stay awake the whole night, and he would until the girl appeared before him once more.

* * *

It irked Kagome how her face was so easy to read. As soon as she had slipped back into her bed before daybreak, Sango had awaken and noted how Kagome looked…so happy. Ayame was still asleep, so it was safe for Sango to have a hushed conversation with Kagome about Kagome's secret.

"Kagome, you really did go up there again, right?" came Sango's worried voice.

Kagome nodded, unable to lie to her favourite sister. "Yes, but only for two hours or so. It was so beautiful up there, even at night. The stars…they're indescribable. The world above is nothing like what we see here everyday. If you go up there for some time, Sango, you'd notice how beautiful it is up there. It's so perfect, and calm, and extraordinary."

Sango peered at Kagome once more. "Did you meet Kouga on the way? Or at least one of your admirers?"

"Huh? No way, everyone's asleep now. Besides, I would be so busted if any of our people caught sight of me going up."

"True, but you should take a look at your face."

Kagome accepted the mirror Sango handed her and peered at her reflection. Her cheeks were flushed a rosy red, and her usually warm, brown eyes shone with excitement. Her delicate lips were upturned in a huge smile. Her joy was barely concealed, and it was obvious that something huge had happened to her. She could see what Sango meant now. Kagome attempted to compose her face the best she could, without much success. When she turned back to Sango, she tried to look indifferent and asked her, "What's wrong with my face Sango? There isn't anything scribbled on it."

Sango gave her a queer look. "You know what I mean. What happened? You know you can trust me not to tell if it's really a secret."

Kagome sighed. Sango would guess what happened anyway.

"I met that boy."

"What boy?" Sango asked immediately. Kagome gave her the eye, and it took Sango a few moments to process her thoughts and give a soft "Oh."

Silence filled the room as Sango, the practical one, realized how much trouble this meant Kagome was in.

"Kagome, you really shouldn't have, you know it's wrong," Sango looked at her sister with a soft look in her eyes.

Kagome sighed. "It wasn't my idea, really. I was just singing by that huge rock where I usually do, and he just came up. It was so late already I didn't expect anyone to be there." She concentrated on playing with her fingers all of a sudden, twisting and untwisting them. She half hoped that Sango would just drop the subject and leave her to her own thoughts.

"Do you know who that man was?"

Kagome looked up. "Yeah, I do actually."

"Someone we know?" Sango asked.

Kagome frowned. "Not exactly, but I'm sure you've heard of him before, since he's one of those important people."

"Wait don't tell me,' Sango's eyes widened as she realized what Kagome meant. "It's not the fisherman's son right? You know, that old fisherman whose net got tangled up with Eri's hair last summer?"

Kagome mentally smacked her head. "His son is like, what, forty this year?"

Sango laughed, imagining Kagome falling for a forty-year-old.

"No way," Sango agreed. "I totally forgot humans aged so quickly."

Her face turned serious as she frowned in concentration. She was really having a difficult time coming up with the right man that Kagome seemed so interested in.

"Are there any clues, or are you gonna tell me who your mystery boyfriend is?"

Kagome blushed at the mention of the word 'boyfriend'. What he really was to her, she had no idea. Their meeting had been extremely brief, but she could feel it, deep in her heart, that he was more than just a friend.

"Okay, I'll give you a clue. He's not human," Kagome blurted.

Sango frowned again as she thought who could possibly not be human and live on land. When realization hit, Sango gasped.

"You don't actually mean the royal family, do you?"

Kagome nodded.

"This is so messed up," Sango groaned. "Only if there wasn't such a rivalry between our kind and theirs, and only if you could survive on land without water! Is it one of those princes? Ugh, this is so unfair for you, and not to mention how we're all royalty, which makes us legible to marry each other."

Kagome sighed once more.

Sango kept on talking. "Wait, I never thought you liked men that were cool, pun intended, and those that don't smile much. How come I never knew that your taste in men have changed so quickly?"

"What?" Kagome asked. "Oh, you think I met Prince Sesshoumaru! No way! It's Inuyasha I'm talking about!" Kagome giggled at the thought of her being seen with the ice-cold prince, Sesshoumaru.

"Phew," Sango let out. However, her relieved expression was soon filled with worry. "Kagome, you do realize that this relationship is impossible, don't you? Aside from the fact that he's a demon and you're a mermaid."

"Half," Kagome corrected automatically. "He's a half-demon."

Sango rolled her eyes before giving Kagome a worried look. "What happened between you guys anyway? I've never seen you look so happy before."

"Nothing much," Kagome replied. "I just sang for him, and we barely even talked to each other. We just had enough time to introduce ourselves, then he told me to sing. And after that he fell asleep."

Sango nodded. "Something that simple made you happy. Kagome, understand that I'm glad you're happy, but I think this has to stop before it gets too serious. There's no way you can be with him, and it would result in heartbreak in the end. For the both of you. And I don't want to see you cry."

'I know you mean well, but I really don't know how to explain my feelings. Everything is going on so fast, I can't believe I first saw him yesterday! It's just plain weird but I can't get him out of my head."

"Love?" Sango teased.

Kagome shrugged. "I don't think love happens this quickly. More like _like_, or just a crush, you know.

"Just a crush," Sango echoed, seeming relieved.

A yawn sounded from the bed next to Sango's. Ayame was getting up, and so the two sisters decided to leave their chat until later.

When Kagome attended her singing lessons, her mind was elsewhere, just like the day before. Kaede noticed but did not comment. She understood how Kagome's father had arranged for her to marry soon, and like any young girl who didn't have her heart set on any of her suitors, it would be completely reasonable that young Kagome was distracted.

"Kagome, I think I need your help tonight," her father came up to her after lunch.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing's wrong, I just want you to be there while we discuss the wedding preparations. It is going to be in two weeks at the earliest, so I was hoping that we could run over the basic details?"

Kagome knew all her attempts to avoid this wedding were futile. Even if she were to escape, her father would set up a huge, ridiculous search, and she would be found in no time, especially when Kouga was to lead that search.

"Yes father, I will do as you wish."

The King smiled at his daughter proudly. "I knew you would come round, it was just a matter of time. You're a smart girl, and you understand your duties to this kingdom. Meet your mother and I at nine tonight, in my study."

"But I still haven't decided who I want to marry. Didn't you say I'd get a week to decide?"

Her father nodded. "Certainly, I just wanted to be well-prepared, the earlier the better."

Something flashed across her mind that instant. Kagome frowned. There was definitely something wrong with this entire situation, but she just didn't know what.

"Father, can you tell me what's with all the rush? I mean, I'm barely an adult, and this whole marriage plan for me seems so…rushed. Like you don't mind who I marry, as long as I get married quickly."

Her father spoke too quickly. "Of course there's nothing wrong."

After a short pause, he explained, "I am getting very old, you know, I'm almost two hundred and fifty, and it's time for me to have an heir to the throne. My advisors and generals alike are starting to plan on how to cheat me. It's very troubling to know that I don't have a young man to take over me after I get amnesia or something like that."

Kagome nodded.

Without another word, her father swept away, leaving Kagome alone, deep in thought.


	5. White Lies

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha.

* * *

She could feel it deep in her bones, the feeling that Inuyasha was waiting for her, and that he had already been waiting for some time. If asked, Kagome would have never been able to put her finger on the exact reason _why_ she was so certain he would be there. She just knew it. They hadn't talked much, but the way that they simply understood each other without the need for verbal communication made that mysterious connection between them even more precious.

After discussing her marriage plans with her father, Kagome decided to swim up – without telling Sango. Her beloved sister would definitely come up with a thousand sensible reasons from her mental checklist that would effectively make Kagome feel guilty and thus, she would not go see the hanyou prince. Right now, what Kagome wanted most was to see him. And that was final.

She needed someone to talk to desperately, how she was arranged to marry some man she didn't want to, and the perfect person to spill all this to would be someone who was in the same situation as she was in. Sango, who had a perfectly happy relationship with Miroku, would never understand fully, no matter how sympathetic she was. Sure, Kagome was grateful to how her sister kept her secrets and was her closest confidante since _forever_.

However, this was just one situation where there was someone who would understand her better. Someone that she felt an unexplainable connection to.

A cold current swept past. Kagome shivered at the ominous feeling, wondering what was causing such a dark aura in the middle of the night. It was nearly midnight, so Kagome braced herself for whatever danger that laid ahead. She was no match for Sango in the fighting ring, but she was not completely untrained. Her status as a mermaid princess made it compulsory for her to learn basic defence.

"Princess Kagome?"

The unfamiliar voice came from a merman with long black hair swaying with the currents. His violet eyes pierced hers as he bowed. Kagome had only caught a glimpse of this man once or twice before, when her father had invited all the lords and ladies to dinner.

"Naraku Onigumo," she greeted him politely. "Please rise."

The merman rose and faced Kagome.

"My princess, what are you doing here so late at night? It isn't _safe_ for a young girl like you to wander so far from the royal palace," his voice was smooth, like a panther preparing to strike. The way he had carefully caressed the word _safe_ made Kagome shiver. This didn't go unnoticed by her companion, whose face was adorned with a dark smile as soon as he caught sight of her evident fear.

"I – uh – had to run some errands for my father. He is expecting me in ten minutes, so I must hurry," Kagome babbled. The cold currents seemed to dance off from Naraku, however that was possible. She thought up of a random excuse that would make him let her be. Somehow, she really did fear for her safety the moment he smiled. There was something very wrong about him, even Kagome could feel that much.

Naraku nodded. "Well then, princess, I guess you should be on your way."

Kagome nodded as well, preparing to swim for it. She wanted to distance herself from this merman as soon as possible.

"By the way, I trust that your father the King has informed you that the royal wedding will take place soon?"

Her eyes widened as she suddenly recalled how her father had added Naraku to the suitor list.

"Y-yes," she stuttered. _Please don't ask me about it, please don't ask me about it, please don't…_

"I hope you will consider me as a suitable husband. I promise to take very good care of you, my princess," he sent her a smile, which he obviously thought was an attractive one, as he reached out for her hand and kissed it gently.

Kagome gulped as she felt his ice-cold lips on her hand. She shivered again, feeling revolted at how his clammy lips had touched her. However, he was still waiting for a reply to his valiant words. Kagome tried to speak, but no sound came. She was still too disgusted and shocked to register how to use her vocal cords properly.

Finally, after a few moments, Naraku withdrew his hand slowly.

"I must not delay you from your duties any longer. I shall take my leave now, Your Highness," Naraku bowed once more and was gone.

As he left, the coldness of the deep waters seemed to have left with him. Kagome sighed with relief as she swam up to a nearby coral and rubbed the back of her hand against it until her hand turned red. No matter how hard she rubbed, she couldn't seem to get rid of that disgusting feeling off her hand.

That didn't matter, she was ready to see Inuyasha, disgusting feeling or not.

As she swam for another few minutes, she tried to calm her raging mind. The nervousness and sheer excitement of seeing Inuyasha again made her heart quicken in a way that it had never beat before. The corners of her lips were upturned in a gentle smile, and Kagome knew that if at that moment, Sango had handed her mirror to her, Kagome would have seen herself, flushed and pretty, just like the way she felt inside.

As soon as she reached shallow waters, Kagome started to swim slowly, afraid that Inuyasha might see her swimming from the sea if he was already there. With her incredible sight as a mermaid, she could see the prince lying on the beach, most probably asleep. She swam slowly to her usual rock, careful not to disrupt the ringing silence. She knew how even though he was a half-demon, he would be able to hear her should she make any unexpected noise in the night.

"Inuyasha?" she called out timidly.

The hanyou's eyes snapped open as he recognized the sweet sound.

"Kagome? Is that you?"

He got up on his feet abruptly, still feeling fogged with sleep. As he rubbed his eyes and opened them once more, gold met blue.

"Kagome! You're here!" a huge smile lightened up his features as he stood up and brushed himself off, suddenly aware of his looks. He tried to straighten his rumpled hair and flick off and traces of sand that lingered on his garments.

"I didn't even hear you coming up! How are you?"

Kagome couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips. His enthusiasm at seeing her matched hers and she simply couldn't believe it.

"I'm okay…ish," Kagome replied with a shrug. "My father still wants me to get married to someone on his list of 'honourable bachelors'."

Inuyasha laughed as Kagome made a face. "Let me guess, no one you like is on that honourable list, eh?"

Kagome sighed and slumped her shoulders.

"Hey it's okay, don't worry about it. I'm sure things will turn out fine. I mean, your father can't _force_ you to marry, can he?"

"You have no idea."

Inuyasha frowned for a second before he spoke up as another trail of thought hit him. "Kagome, why don't you sit here on the sand? I'll bet it's getting really cold in the water."

"Uh I – I – It's nice here, I mean I feel fine here," she stuttered, trying to come up with a sensible excuse.

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows, but just like their previous meeting, made no comment.

"Whatever. Then I'll just come up."

Kagome panicked a little when Inuyasha plopped down beside her, not minding how his pants got soaked with seawater. With his half-demon senses, he must have picked up the sudden quickening of her heart, thrumming like a hummingbird's wings. He peered at her to note how she was blushing slightly, her head turned away so he couldn't see her full expression. The sight of a flushed Kagome boosted his ego, and he smirked as she turned back to face the hanyou prince.

"What?" Kagome asked as he kept on staring at her.

Inuyasha opened his mouth, pondering what to tell this beauty before him. However, he shut it again, then opened it. Kagome looked at him expectantly, wondering what he wanted to say.

"Inuyasha? Have you gone mute? What's up?" Kagome said with a smile.

He growled. "Hell no! I was just thinking!" He "Keh!"-ed and turned away.

Kagome giggled at his childishness. "Alright, whatever you say."

Inuyasha was silent for a while, before he remembered how precious every second with Kagome was, especially since he might never have the chance to see her again.

"By the way, Kagome, you never really told me who you were. What's your full name? Who are your parents? Where do you live?"

When she did not reply immediately, he looked at her expectantly. The wheels in her mind were turning furiously as Kagome tried to give him her best assuring smile.

"My name's Kagome Higurashi," Higurashi seemed like a nice last name to fill in. "My parents are fishermen from the village, so I'm accustomed to the sea. I have two sisters, Sango and Ayame, who are also my best friends."

"Best friends?" Inuyasha had never known that siblings could get along.

"Yeah, something along those lines," Kagome gazed at him curiously. "Wait, I think I've heard about you and Prince Sesshoumaru, and – "

"How we never get along," Inuyasha finished for her. "He's a pain in the ass. Never mind that bastard, will I ever see you again after tonight?"

Her heart quickened once more as she heard how _he_ wanted to see _her _again. Did that mean that he… Kagome shook her head slightly to clear of those thoughts. Inuyasha was a prince, and she was sure that he was the object of admiration of many young women that lived on land.

"Well, I'm not really sure when I'll come here again, but I do visit the beach often," Kagome shrugged.

"Then maybe you could come to the palace to see me?"

"But that would rouse rumours among people, right?" Kagome tensed up, waiting for his response.

His shoulders slumped slightly as the thought sank in. "Right. So maybe I can come to your house and visit you?"

Inuyasha cursed mentally as he noted how desperate he sounded. He was a _prince_, and now, he was acting like some stupid fool who had no idea how to speak properly.

"Um, that wouldn't be a good idea," Kagome answered quickly, trying to think up of a reason to answer her companion's obvious next question.

"Why?"

"Uh, my mom, you know, she doesn't like boys going into the house…" she trailed off, pleading to whatever god that would listen to her to tell Inuyasha to stop asking.

"But what if she knew the prince was visiting?"

"Rumours," she blurted out. "The villagers gossip like old women. I don't think it'd be good if your father heard that you were coming to visit me. He's arranging for you to marry someone after all."

"Darn," Inuyasha sighed. "Fine, so we'll just meet here."

Kagome nodded and barely held back her own sigh – a sigh of relief. Quickly, she changed the subjecy before he could pry more into her life.

"So how's it going with Kikyou?"

Inuyasha groaned with exasperation. "I've been hearing her name so much lately, I'm really tired of it. But anyways, she's coming up soon, as in tomorrow or the day after. I really hope that she has no manners and trips over her own feet and chokes on her food and burp when – "

"Okay, enough enough!" Kagome was laughing so hard, she had to hold on to her sides. "I can't believe you're so evil!"

"What?" he smirked at her, admiring her beautiful features. She was beyond gorgeous when she was happy, her laughter like music to his ears.

When Kagome's laughter died down, a disturbing thought crept into her mind. She took a deep breath and blurted it out anyway. "Inuyasha? I want to know...aren't there other girls you might want to marry?"

Inuyasha shrugged nonchalantly, trying his best not to think of the girl in front of him. "I've met a few princesses here and there, some distant relatives, family friends…but there isn't really anyone that caught my eye. I'm a filthy half-breed, so I'm obviously ostracized from society and – "

Her furious reaction caused him to stop talking as she stroked his cheek delicately, her eyes deep with emotion. "_Never_ call yourself filthy. There's _nothing_ filthy about you. If there's someone that's filthy, it's all those people that dared to call you that."

Inuyasha's skin tingled at her touch. He felt an unfamiliar but pleasant warmth course through his veins, his heart suddenly pounding furiously in his chest. She was so caring, so gentle, so beautiful.

"Thank you," he whispered as he leaned into her touch.

That was when she started to sing for him again. This time, it was a different tune. The music calmed his quivering nerves in indescribable ways. He tried his best to keep his eyes open, to continue admiring the black-haired maiden before him, but he failed to do so once more. His lids slid shut without his approval, and he fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Trumpets sounded through the air when the hanyou awoke from his slumber. The sun was in his eyes, and half his body was drenched, but he was sure that he had never slept so well ever since the last time he met Kagome. Judging by the position of the sun, it was around noon. Inuyasha groaned as he realized that he had fallen asleep again.

When trumpets blared once more, Inuyasha realized that it was that sound that awoke him. He frowned, wondering what the commotion was as he ran back towards the palace. As soon as he slid through the window of his room, someone started knocking persistently on his door.

"Inuyasha! Open the door, quick!"

It was his mother's voice. He quickly complied, unlocking the door and allowing his mother in.

"What's going on?" Inuyasha asked as soon as he closed the door.

She looked him over once and clucked her tongue in disapproval.

"My, my Inuyasha, what happened to you? You're a mess! Don't worry, I'll call the servants to clean you up."

"Wait, what's going on?" He repeated.

His mother smiled at him adoringly. "Oh Inuyasha, she's here! I always knew that I'd have to give you up to a young woman, but I never imagined that that day would come so quickly."

His heart sunk as her words sank in. He already had a feeling who it was, but he asked anyway. "Who's here?"

"Kikyou."


	6. Infatuation

**Author's Note: Here's a new update – finally! If you're reading this, a huge thank you. I know it's been a really long time. Anyways, enjoy!**

**_Replies to reviews:  
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Glon Morski: I'm trying to make Kikyou into some kind of dark priestess, with dark magic and a mom (Tsubaki) who's more than supportive. They'll be plotting something huge really soon!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.**

* * *

Inuyasha could feel every single eye in the palace monitoring his every move. As soon as he looked up from his dessert – chocolate pudding with some kind of French ice-cream – everyone looked away. He growled slightly under his breath. What was everyone's problem?

Princess Kikyou, or as Inuyasha called her in his mind _Ki-ky-ou_, stretching each syllable in annoyance, had proved to be as bitchy as he had thought. He hadn't been graced with her oh-so-important presence even though she had arrived at their palace hours ago. She had announced that she was "tired" and wanted some rest in her chambers before she could come out to present herself.

Inuyasha had caught sight of her mother – a ghastly-looking woman who had cunning eyes and a devious smile – walking past him when he was strolling in the garden. She had been perfectly polite, but Inuyasha had sensed a hint of sarcasm in her tone. Inuyasha had simply shrugged it off. He had always been treated like scum by some people who never got over the fact that hanyous were normal as well.

Right now, Inuyasha felt like he couldn't stand a minute of being stared at anymore. He dropped his spoon noisily, then muttered a low "I'll be going now" before he spun around and marched out of the room. He kept his gaze towards the door, taking care not to look at anyone.

As soon as he was out in one of the many corridors of his home, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. His father had looked expectantly at him, while his mother actually looked _happy_ for him. He felt like rolling his eyes so badly at her. Happy? For him? She would _never_ understand how he felt! Inuyasha had listened to the many romantic tales of his parents meeting each other at a formal dinner when they were young, or at least, when his mother was young. His father, being an inuyoukai, was already a hundred or so, but in human years, he would have been in his teens. They had a marriage filled with love and understanding, whereas Inuyasha _knew_ he would never love or understand Kikyou. And considering her mother's cold tone, he could feel that she would never love or understand him, which was perfectly fine to him.

_Not like Kagome._

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks. As usual, once he thought of her name, his mind would sail away and return to those precious hours on the beach with her. Her beautiful scent would automatically wrap itself around him, comforting and soothing his nerves, while his heart would accelerate as he recalled every touch, every smile she had sent him, and every word she had uttered. If only she were in Kikyou's place, a respectable princess who his parents wouldn't mind one iota if he married…

"Prince Inuyasha?" a woman's voice called from behind him.

He whirled around, bracing himself for some palace maid to give him expectant looks. He could never understand why women were so fascinated with him. They went for either him, or Sesshoumaru, or the both of them. He had caught (more than once) some maid or another stealing his clothes. His _undergarments_, to be exact. What they planned to do with them, Inuyasha had no idea, but he had always shuddered at the thought. Women could be _so_creative. Maybe they had some kind of spell to make him fall for them by using his boxers? Hell, that was so wrong.

Inuyasha shook his head lightly to clear himself of those thoughts. He was prepared to bark at the woman when he noted how familiar her face was.

"Kagome?" he unintentionally said aloud.

Confusion swept across the girl's face as she approached him. She curtsied politely, then said, "Prince Inuyasha. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Princess Kikyou."

Inuyasha stood still for a moment, then sniffed the air cautiously. Realization hit as he noted how her scent was not Kagome's. Kagome's scent was much sweeter, and this Kikyou's scent hurt his nose. She must have sprayed some of the icky perfume women did. Didn't they know how sensitive demons' noses were?

However, Inuyasha didn't forget his manners, and being a prince, he had – on more occasions than he could recall – faked his happiness. This was one of those situations, and Inuyasha bowed low, giving her a small smile.

"Princess Kikyou, the pleasure is mine," he said as he reached for her hand and placed a small kiss on the back of it.

Kikyou's usually pale cheeks filled with colour, a sight that didn't escape Inuyasha's keen eyes. Inuyasha barely kept in a sigh. If Kikyou was interested in him, then that would be a complication. He had no interest whatsoever in her, and the more Inuyasha looked at her, the more imperfections he found on her features.

Her smile didn't reach her eyes, and it seemed too cold to pass as a _smile_. Not like Kagome, whose smile lit up his entire universe. Kikyou also seemed so thin that she couldn't walk properly. Not like Kagome, who had an excellent figure with nice curves that made him want to reach out and embrace her. Kikyou's voice was flat and unattractive, as was her hair, while Kagome's voice was so melodious, and her dark rich curls were always –

_Whoa, whoa stop! _He ordered himself. Kikyou had already started talking about who-knows-what, so Inuyasha forced himself to listen so he could at least give a civilized reply.

"– they were always so kind and thoughtful. Would it be alright if I had my own ladies-in-waiting with me? And if my mother could have a room next to mine, that would be most convenient."

Inuyasha forced down a grimace. This was _his_home and now, she was asking for arrangements? Geez, what happened to etiquette or whatever this was categorized in? She wasn't his godforsaken wife yet, and she found it suitable that things in the palace were to her liking?

"That wouldn't be a problem," Inuyasha smiled at her graciously.

She beamed at him, her cheeks still a pale pink.

"Thank you, Prince Inuyasha. I was actually out here admiring this beautiful castle. Don't mind me, I'll be returning to my chambers now. Thank you for your hospitality, and I hope I'll see you at dinner tonight."

With a curtsy, Kikyou excused herself and rushed off in the direction she had come from.

As soon as she was gone, Inuyasha smirked. So he had been right all along. Kikyou was not to his liking, and he had acted all polite and charming. He felt like marching right up to his father and say "I tried, but I'm sorry, I don't like her. Let's just find some other girl for me to marry, okay?".

But Inuyasha knew his father. Although he had been lenient and had told him if he didn't like Kikyou, he would let him go, Inutaisho was not known for his generosity. Inuyasha would have a hard time trying to convince his parents that Kikyou was not the one for him.

At least he could tell Kagome all about Kikyou and laugh with her.

* * *

When Kagome finally reached home, her parents and sisters were already gathered in their dining cave. Breakfast was already served, and everyone was busy eating when she swam in looking flustered.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," she apologized immediately as she took her place on her boulder.

"It's alright, Kagome dear. Sango told me you wanted to sleep in a little because you felt unwell," her mother replied gently.

Kagome nodded and tried to look a bit weak, rubbing her forehead a little with her hand. She could feel Sango's gaze burning on her, but she decided to tell her later. If she looked at Sango right then, she would have blushed and giggled, which would cause unnecessary attention on her part.

Kagome hurried through breakfast, so she finished as soon as the rest of her family did. She knew that Sango was dying to hear how her night went, and she wasn't prepared to make Sango wait an entire day just to hear about it.

As Kagome prepared to excuse herself, her mother turned to her.

"Kagome, if you're feeling unwell, you can rest for today. You don't look that well. Did you not sleep at all last night? Those black bags under your eyes look terrible!"

Kagome flushed, forgetting how her mother, a beauty queen (literally), was extremely concerned over beauty, and that her sleepless nights would not escape her notice. Kagome hadn't been sleeping a lot recently, all because of a certain dashing dog-eared prince. She could practically _see _Sango smirking openly at their mother's comment, even with her back towards her sister.

"Thank you for your concern mother, I think I will take your advice," Kagome said, trying to look sleepy. It wasn't that difficult, since she was quite tired. Swimming from the surface and back did take a toll on her.

"Very well, if you need me or a nurse, just ask," her mother said, reaching out to pat her duaghter's head gently.

Kagome nodded her thanks. She then scurried off towards her room, but not before hearing Sango say, "Maybe I should accompany Kagome, I'm worried for her."

As soon as Kagome reached the haven of her bed, Sango was by her side.

"Okay Kagome, you'd better spill or else!" Sango didn't bother finishing her threat, already knowing that her sister would blurt it all out.

"Okay, okay!" Kagome laughed at Sango's desperation. "I went up, met him, we talked, he fell asleep, end of story."

Sango narrowed her eyes. "That doesn't make sense. How could he fall asleep that quickly? Are you telling sure you're telling me _everything_?"

Kagome sighed, a smile in her voice. "Yup, that's all. Now, as mother has said, I'm sick, so maybe you can – "

"Oh no you don't!" Sango shrieked as she yanked Kagome's covers off of her. "You'd better tell me every single detail right_ now_!"

Kagome laughed. Teasing her impatient sister was the best thing ever. Aside from meeting gorgeous half-demon princes, of course.

"Fine! Actually, we just talked as usual, you know, about random stuff. I'm called Kagome Higurashi, by the way, and our father's a fisherman. We live in the village too. And after telling him all that, we talked more about how he's arranged to marry a Princess Kikyou soon. Then I sang him to sleep," Kagome said, smiling to herself as she recalled every sweet memory with him.

Sango didn't reply for a moment, but when she did, her voice was soft, pleading.

"Kagome, if what you're saying is true, then Inuyasha must be arranged to marry someone else! And you're a mermaid while he lives on land! You must know that this isn't possible. I can see where this is going, anyone who's in my place can! Please, Kagome, let him go. This infatuation is getting serious."

Kagome sighed, glancing at her sister who was staring at her with wide eyes.

"Sango, you don't understand. Inuyasha understands me more than anyone else. We're both forced to marry some other person we don't like, and he's the nicest guy I've ever met! He's also insanely handsome, and he makes me feel so happy," Kagome explained, knowing that Sango's disapproval wouldn't lessen.

"That means there's nothing at all I can do to prevent you from falling for him? You tried to convince me that this was just a crush, but even blind, I'd be able to see where all this is leading to," Sango grumbled.

"I really don't know," Kagome was genuinely confused. "I _think_this is the closest thing to love I've ever experienced. I'm not really sure, but I want to be with him. I want to see him all the time, and I've never wanted a guy like this. Kouga, Naraku, Hojo…well they can just go on and do whatever they like. But whenever I think about Inuyasha marrying Kikyou…" Kagome shook her head, not bothering to finish her sentence.

Silence filled the room for a long moment before Sango spoke up.

"Kagome, you know you won't end up with him in the end, tell me you know that."

"I know that," Kagome murmured, unable to meet Sango's stern gaze.

"You know that by the time this really has to end, you'll be very unhappy. Depressed, even. Are you ready to take that?"

Kagome didn't have an answer to that.

The two sisters were so focused on their conversation, they didn't realize one of their maids at the front of their cave, taking in every word of their conversation. As soon as they were silent, the maid swam off, a dark smile etched on her features.

* * *

Tsubaki didn't bother to knock as she entered her beloved daughter's room. At first, she was confused that Kikyou wasn't there, but a sound from the bathroom erased all her confusion.

"Kikyou?" Tsubaki called out, approaching the bathroom in five long strides.

"Hello mother," Kikyou smiled as she soaked herself deeper in the immaculate bathtub, filled with petals from a certain type of pink flower. The flowers were overflowing the bathtub, floating on top of clear water. It was obvious that this was no ordinary bath.

Her mother frowned at the sight of the flowers.

"Kikyou, why would you need those? And where did you get so many?"

Both of them knew that those flowers served one purpose and one purpose only – to seduce. Any man would fall head over heels for Kikyou once she muttered a spell to him. The flowers were rare, its name unknown since only dark priestess knew the incantation to grow them. When lightning struck precisely at the innermost petal of a rose, the petal would shrivel up into a seed. Then the seed was to be wrapped up in a piece of black cloth for three days and after that, it should be placed in clear spring water from the mountains. A flower would be grown with a short, simple incantation, "Love comes of nothing", and its power would last for a month. The flowers were then either rubbed against a maiden's skin, or she could choose to bathe in them, like what Kikyou was doing, and after another short incantation, "I will be your love now", the process would be complete.

"I need them, mother, because I think I want Inuyasha," Kikyou smirked. "I grew them two weeks ago, and I still have plenty outside. Would you care for some?"

Tsubaki had no need for love, she had already fallen once for Kikyou's father, who was now dead.

"How completely absurd, I do not seek love. Besides are you that desperate for Inuyasha to love you? I thought your natural charm would be enough. Or rather, some simpler method would suffice. You know the spells, so why bother with this extreme method?"

"Ah," Kikyou laughed darkly like she knew something her mother did not. "This is perfectly necessary in this case."

Kikyou sank deeper into the lukewarm water until the water reached her bottom lip.

"Prince Inuyasha is already in love, and only this spell would be powerful enough to change his heart."

* * *

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